Method for post-CMP conversion of a hydrophobic surface of a low-k dielectric layer to a hydrophilic surface

Abstract

A method of converting a hydrophobic surface of a dielectric layer to a hydrophilic surface is described. That method comprises forming on a substrate a dielectric layer that has a hydrophobic surface, then coupling a hydrophilic component to the surface of the dielectric layer. Also described is a method for making a semiconductor device that employs this technique after polishing a conductive layer, which may comprise copper.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of forming a semiconductor device comprising: 
       forming on a substrate a silicon based carbon doped oxide dielectric layer;  
       removing excess material from the silicon based carbon doped oxide dielectric layer using a chemical mechanical polishing process;  
       transferring the substrate with the silicon based carbon doped oxide dielectric layer to a cleaning unit;  
       exposing the surface of the silicon based carbon doped oxide dielectric layer, while in the cleaning unit, to a solution for less than about 80 seconds at a temperature of between about 20° C. and about 70° C., the solution comprising a hydrophilic component and a corrosion inhibitor, the hydrophilic component comprising between about 0.01% and about 50% of the solution by weight and the corrosion inhibitor being included in the solution at a concentration of between about 0.001M and about 0.05M; and then  
       coupling the hydrophilic component to the surface of the silicon based carbon doped oxide dielectric layer,  
       wherein the hydrophilic component is selected from the group consisting of N-[(3-Trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine triacetic acid and trimethoxysilylpropyldiethylenetriamine, and wherein the corrosion inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of benzotriazole, cetyltrimethylammonium hydroxide, and a cetyltrimethylammonium halide.